Promote the role of all parties in collective labor agreements. Illustrative photo

7 collective labor agreements signed by groups of enterprises

On November 11 afternoon, the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor in collaboration with the International Labor Organization (ILO) in Vietnam organized a workshop in Hanoi to evaluate the results of collective labor agreements, the signing and realizing of collective labor agreements of enterprise groups in Vietnam.

In the framework of the working session, delegates focused on discussing and evaluating pilot results of collective bargaining of business groups; shared lessons learned from the localities that had pilotted the collective labor agreements; the role of the parties in promoting collective bargaining and collective bargaining agreements; carrying out representative duties for workers, protecting legal and legitimate rights and interests of workers ...

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mr. Ngo Duy Hieu, Vice President of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor, said that the business group agreement benefits all parties and it is a negotiating trend of trade unions of countries in the world. After a few years of pilotting the model, up to now, seven collective labor agreements have been signed. This is a very encouraging result, confirming the efforts of the parties, providing important arguments for the amendment of the Labor Code.

However, according to Mr. Ngo Duy Hieu, many employers and presidents of grassroots trade unions have not yet seen the meaning of collective labor agreements, so it is necessary to enhance propaganda for business owners and presidents of grassroots trade unions so that they are aware that this is a beneficial model for all parties, including businesses.

The propaganda needs to be strengthened so that business owners and grassroots trade union presidents are aware that this is a model that benefits all parties, including businesses. Illustrative photo.

Mr. Ngo Duy Hieu suggested that experts and trade union officials need to discuss more deeply about the achieved results, advantages, difficulties and lessons learned to continue promoting the enterprise group agreement in the coming time, considering this as a priority trend for the Vietnamese Trade Union to better take care of and protect the rights and interests of workers.

Piloting the negotiation and signing of collective labor agreements by professional group

In July, representatives of employers in 5 enterprises: Ha Hung Joint Stock Company, Viet Phat Co., Ltd .; Suntex Company Limited; Nhat Hoa Production and Trading Co., Ltd; Y&I Co., Ltd. and the representative of the workers in these enterprises, Ms. Ton Kim Thuy, Chairman of the Van Lam District Labor Confederation, agreed to sign the collective labor agreement of the group of garment enterprises in Van Lam District, Hung Yen Province.

The signing ceremony of a collective labor agreement of a group of garment and textile firms in Van Lam, Hung Yen.

The chairman of the district labor union said that this is the result of the district labor union - representing workers in 5 garment enterprises and leaders of 5 enterprises conducting collective bargaining with 13 contents that had been negotiated in the previous bilateral sessions to reach the target: all 5 enterprises agreed 100% with 13 contents given by the representative of workers. Accordingly, nearly 4,000 employees from 5 garment enterprises will enjoy many benefits from this agreement.

Specifically, every year, these enterprises will award the 13th month of salary to employees with a working period of full 12 months or more, valuing at least 1 month of salary under labor contracts. They will also grant bonus for employees with innovations, high productivity; provide shift meals for workers with a value of at least VND16,000/person/meal (only including food costs). Shift meals will have the menu changed everyday, with enough nutrition and ensuring food safety. In each shift, enterprises shall arrange a short break time of at least 10 minutes for laborers to exercise. These enterprises will give monthly allowance for women; give time for employees to improve their legal knowledge. Annually, these enterprises will organize holiday tours for their workers.

As the representative of one of the 5 employers who directly signed the collective labor agreement, Mr. Do Dinh Tuy, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Viet Phat Co., Ltd., said that when the Labor Federation of Van Lam district was chosen by the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor and the Hung Yen Labor Federation to pilot the project "Promoting workplace dialogue and effective negotiation in the textile industry," he was very supportive.

“Implementing the collective labor agreement will help reduce labor disputes and strikes that are not in accordance with the law; limit labor fluctuations, labor competition between enterprises participating in the group labor agreeent, help businesses in the group build a good image in the eyes of workers and thereby they can  attract new workers, build their position, brand of businesses in the group," Mr. Tuy analyzed.

Hoang Anh